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Fukushima court orders Japanese government and TEPCO to pay damages over nuclear disaster

A Fukushima court has ordered the Japanese government and nuclear plant operator TEPCO to pay damages for the 2011 triple meltdown. The case was the largest class action suit brought over the nuclear disaster.

Some of the over 3,000 plaintiffs in the case held up signs outside of the Fukushima District Court

A district court in Fukushima prefecture ruled that on Tuesday that Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and the Japanese government were liable for damages for the 2011 triple meltdown at the tsunami-ravaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

The government and the nuclear plant operator have been ordered to pay 500 million yen ($4.44 million; €3.77 million) to Fukushima residents who demanded damages for their lost livelihoods.

A group of 3,800 people filed the class action suit, making it the largest case brought over the 2011 nuclear disaster. Around 30 similar suits involving a total of 12,000 people have been filed across the nation.

The court ruled that the government failed to order TEPCO to improve safety measures at the plant, despite knowing as early as 2002 that the area was at risk of getting hit by a large tsunami.

Both the government and TEPCO argued that the 2002 assessment was not established knowledge and that they could not have predicted the tsunami.

Thousands of Fukushima plaintiffs called for TEPCO and the government to get radiation levels back to pre-meltdown readings — a request the court denied

Tuesday's ruling is the second to find the government liable for the Fukushima meltdown, following a March decision by the Maebashi district court. It's also the third ruling against Tokyo Electric Power Company.

The plaintiffs in Tuesday's case also called on the government and plant operator to restore the levels of radioactivity at their homes to their levels before the disaster, but the court denied that request, Kyodo news agency reported.

TEPCO has long been criticized for ignoring the threat posed by natural disasters to the nuclear plant, while the Japanese government has been derided for its handling of the crisis.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Deadly disaster

The worst nuclear disaster of all time, the explosion at Chernobyl nuclear plant in Ukraine released massive amounts of radiation into the atmosphere. Areas close to the plant - in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia - were heavily contaminated. Heightened levels of radiation were also measured across most of Europe. The "exclusion zone" around Chernobyl remains off-limits to human habitation today.

Does nuclear power have a future?

It happens again

After a magnitude-9 earthquake and consequent tsunami, three nuclear reactors at Fukushima power plant in Japan went into meltdown in March 2011. There were also four hydrogen explosions. The accident released 500 times as much radioactive cesium-137 as the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima in 1945. The clean-up is expected to take decades.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Sickening impact

After Chernobyl, thousands of people developed cancer. In Japan too, the heavily contaminated region of Fukushima, where 200,000 people lost their homes, saw cases of the disease escalate. The number of children with thyroid cancer there is 20 times higher than other regions.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Rallying against nuclear power

Chernobyl fueled public opposition to nuclear power, particularly in Europe. The same happened after Fukushima. Before the Japanese disaster, the country relied on nuclear for 30 percent of its power. That has fallen to 1 percent. The government wants to continue producing nuclear power and plans to reinstall some reactors. But affected regions have successfully pushed back those plans.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Nuclear industry in crisis

Today, the nuclear power sector is deep in economic crisis. In Japan, the United States and France, nuclear power plants run at a loss, and construction projects for new reactors have been postponed.

Does nuclear power have a future?

New-build set-backs

France had high hopes for its newest nuclear reactors - called pressurized water reactors (PWRs). This technology was supposed to be safe, and the Flamanville power plant was due to be switched on in 2012. Due to security issues, that's been pushed back to 2018 at the earliest. The project will cost more than 10 billion euros - three times the original budget.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Great Britain plans new reactors

For years, the UK has been planning to build two new PWR reactors at Hinkley Point. Costs are estimated at 33 billion euros and groundbreaking is slated for 2019. But doubts are growing over its economic viability. The electricity it produces will be much pricier than solar or wind power, and will need subsidies to compete in the market.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Aging reactors up for grabs

Nuclear power plants used to be lucrative. But now, many are old and frail. Repair costs often mean they cannot turn a profit. Swiss energy corporation Alpiq recently tried to give away two of its old plants, 33 and 38 years old, to French energy company EDF - which declined the offer.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Disasters abroad prompt German phase-out

Three decades ago, the Chernobyl disaster galvanized Germany's anti-nuclear movement, which is often cited as the roots of the country's energy transition. In 2002, Germany passed a law that would have seen the last reactor shut down in 2022. The plan was later scrapped by Angela Merkel's government. But after Fukushima, Merkel quickly reversed her decision and the phase-out was back on track.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Switching them off

So far, nine of Germany's reactors have gone offline, with eight more to follow by 2022. To finance the costs of nuclear waste disposal, plant operators must pay 23.6 billion euros into a federal fund. The operators themselves are responsible for the similarly costly process of dismantling the plants, which will take decades to complete.

Does nuclear power have a future?

Growing fear of accidents

Across the EU and Switzerland 132 nuclear reactors are still online. They were designed to operate for 30 to 35 years - their average age is now 32 years. Malfunctions and security issues are frequently detected and protestors are increasingly calling for plants to be shut down.

Does nuclear power have a future?

China pushes on with nuclear

No new nuclear power plants have been built in the EU, Japan or Russia since the Fukushima disaster in 2011. China remains committed to nuclear, partly to replace coal-based power. But the country is also upping investment in wind and solar.